Ant Control in Hot Weather

Have you walked in your yard or down your walk and seen a huge swarm of ants? They can be crawling around an anthill or around a crack in the sidewalk.

Ant colonies are a fact of life in the summer, but they don’t have to be all over your property. There are steps you can take to keep them out of your home and keep your lawn clear. That way, you can enjoy your yard without worrying about those six-legged pests.

Realize Ants Have Friends

Ants are an annoyance and some of them are actually dangerous. They can cause problems in your food if they get inside your home, some of them bite, and they can carry bacteria and salmonella.

In your yard, they can breed quickly and make large colonies. This can be unsightly and may be dangerous if your pets get into the nest.

However, one of the biggest dangers to your yard is lesser known. Many of them will befriend aphids and mealybugs, helping them with their needs so the ants can get the honeydew substance they secrete.

Aphids and mealybugs can cause significant damage to your yard and garden, so there are plenty of reasons to get lawn care to handle ant problems.

What You Can Do Outside

What lawn care can you do to control ants outdoors? The mounds you see are part of the problem. They are a sign of a large ant colony. However, it can be challenging to actually get ants away. You can flood the mounds, but they will form new ones nearby.

Instead, be sure you keep your yard well-mowed and remove all debris from your yard as soon as possible. Don’t leave pet food or pet treats outside, and make sure to clean up after outdoor barbecues or giving kids treats in the backyard.

You may also want to invest in professional lawn care that will help you avoid ant problems and stay ahead of them if they do occur.

What to Do Inside

Once you have the lawn covered, you want to protect the inside of your home as well. This can be a challenge simply because ants are so small. A crumb you dismiss – or even don’t see – can be a feast for an ant.

You’ll need to keep things clean as well as making sure you don’t leave water in sinks or tubs. Ants come in looking for water sometimes too. Finally, seal cracks around window and doors to avoid giving ants an easy entrance to the house.

Get Professional Lawn Care

The best thing you can do to keep ants away is to prevent having them near your home to begin with. That requires high-quality professional lawn care that focuses on both treating weeds and treating pests.

At West Termite, Pest and Lawn, we can help you treat current ant problems and prevent problems going forward. We use products that are safe for your children and pets so you can take care of your yard with complete peace of mind.